The Need to Fabricate Lower Limb Prosthetic Devices by Additive Manufacturing

Abstract

In this study, additive manufacturing is evaluated as a means of creating custom-made lower limb prosthetic devices. Amputees greatly benefit from having a custom-made prosthetic device. Furthermore, additive manufacturing has already proven successful in increasing the accessibility to custom-made hand prostheses, but there still needs to be an evaluation of how additive manufacturing could be employed in the creation of lower limb prostheses. This mini review encompasses a brief overview of the causes of lower limb amputations, the treatment plan for amputations, and some negative impacts of a poorly designed prosthesis.Additive manufacturing technologies as a potential fabrication method, their classifications, different materials that can be used, and an array of examples of how additive manufacturing has already been successful in medical fields will be discussed.

Solución de la ecuación de Navier para el cálculo de elasticidad lineal en materiales nanoreforzados utilizando el método de elementos de frontera.

“…Este trabajo se centra en el material utlizado para el desarrollo de la prótesis la cual se encaja con el socket que irá en contacto con el paciente. Actualmente se están utilizando nanotubos de carbono para mejorar la resistencia ante los impactos, y alargar la vida útil del material en el desarrollo de prótesis de miembro inferior y superior personalizadas, debido al alto costo (promedio de $ 230000) que paga un amputado en prótesis a 5 años, por lo cual se busca mejorar e innovar en las prácticas de manufactura (manufactura aditiva utilizando impresion 3D) y en el uso de nuevos materiales; como plantea este trabajo [27].…”

Design and Manufacturing of a Low-Cost Prosthetic Foot

“…Materials selection plays an important role in meeting the requirements of the prosthesis's parts in order to make it effectively functional, and the cost of the materials selected has to make sense (i.e., the device prosthesis must be economical and affordable for low-income amputees, for instance) in mass production, as materials do contribute a lot to the total manufacturing costs of each part. The cost of an artificial limb is recurrent because artificial limbs are usually replaced every 3-4 years due to wear and tear (Pearlman et al, 2008;Tavangarian and Proano, 2019).…”

“…More than half of lower limb amputees are over the age of 65 years due to the increase in vascular disorders as the patients age (Michael et al, 2016). A prosthesis restores a large proportion of the normal functions, lifestyle, and stability for a person suffering from lower limb loss (Saif et al, 2018;Tavangarian and Proano 2019;Stephen et al, 2019).…”